Cairns Innovation Voted Best by Australia's Convention Bureaux

The Association of Australian Convention Bureaux (AACB) is pleased to announce Business Events Cairns & Great Barrier Reef (BEC&GBR) as the winner of the AACB’s Innovation Award for 2015/16. The award was announced at the AACB Annual Conference gala dinner held at Victoria Park, Brisbane on 9 September.

AACB CEO Andrew Hiebl said, “We had three bureaux compete for this year’s award. I congratulate Business Events Cairns & Great Barrier Reef on their win. Innovation plays an important role in helping Australia remain competitive in the national and global marketplace. AACB is pleased to recognise and celebrate new innovations and bureaux leadership.”

During the qualifying period, BEC&GBR introduced a program for members to lift the level of business events professionalism within the region and establish a standard for consistency in response to local challenges.

Simpleview, which provides cutting-edge technology and marketing solutions for destination marketing organisations, sponsored the AACB Innovation Award for the first time this year.

Kevin Bate, Senior Director of Business Development at Simpleview said, “As a business that recognises the imperative of innovation to continue impactful positive progress and economic success, particularly in the continually developing realm of technology and always-shifting global tourism market, we’re honoured to be sponsoring the presentation of the AACB’s Innovation Award for 2016.”

“We’re proud to be a part of recognising the impressive economic and service contributions of convention bureaux to business promotion in Australia and beyond,” he added.

Rosie Douglas, Director of Business & Tourism Events at BEC&GBR said, “Our members play an integral role in the overall success of our destination in both attracting and wining business events. The program we developed allowed our members to gain valuable insights from business events trade on the profile of their clients, what they are looking for and how to win business.”

“This information has been incorporated into an induction program for staff new to the business events sector. It is a win-win for everyone. The staff gain valuable knowledge to win business for their companies and we as a destination are presented as a professional and credible region to hold events.”

The award recognises new innovations which represent a significant transformation to bureau operations, technology and/or to the product pipeline. Bureaux competing for the award gave a TEDx style presentation at the 27th AACB Annual Conference where voting was conducted by a combination of scores from competitor bureaux and independent judges. Each entrant highlighted specific benefits and organisational gains which have been realised from the innovation implemented and the impact it has had on the business events industry and wider community.